Altered Universe
by Dur'id the Druid
Summary: Co-Authored with Krystiana. An AU series that starts with the episode "Temptation". What would happen if Brooklyn believed Demona's view of Humanity?
1. Temptation

Temptation by: Krystiana )  
  
FYI: Part I is basically the same as in the original cartoon, so if you don't want to read it, then don't. It's just like the beginning of the original Temptaion, but in FanFic form.  
  
Part I  
  
Lexington was putting the finishing touches on the motorcycle he had been working on.  
  
"Isn't it finished yet?" Broadway asked, scratching his head.  
  
"Come on!" Brooklyn said impaitently. "You've been here every night for a week!"  
  
Lexington sat the bike up, glaring at Brooklyn. "You rode a horse once, could you build one from spare parts?"  
  
Brooklyn shrugged, walked over to a table, and picked up a helmet. He carefully poked two holes in it for the two horns on his head. He slipped the helmet on his head, grinning.  
  
"Why bother with the helmet?" Broadway cracked. "Your head's hard enough!"  
  
Brooklyn rolled his eyes as he folded his wings under his arms and slipped the leather jacket on. He turned around and grinned. "Hey, it's all part of the look."  
  
Lexington put the kickstand down. "There. It's finished!" he said proudly.  
  
Brooklyn hopped on the bike, pulling out his sunglasses. "All right!" He revved the bike and shot forward. He turned around the fence, speeding off.  
  
"Yeah, go! Broadway yelled.  
  
"All right, he's flying!" Lex yelled at the same time. At the same moment, they looked at each other.  
  
"Hey, don't we get a turn?" Broadway asked.  
  
They were both unaware of the pair of glittering red eyes watching them from above.  
  
Brooklyn sped down the street. "I love this bike!" he yelled to the air.  
  
He sped by a darkened car, not seeing the two policemen inside. As the siren sprang to life and the antlers lit up, he looked back.  
  
"Ooo. Not good. Nooot good," he muttered, shaking his head. He turned into an alley, growling.  
  
"Hit the light!" he heard, and a bright white light glared in his eyes. He growled again as he came to the end of the alley.  
  
But he didn't stop. He reared the bike back, sailing over the brick wall. He ripped his wings through the jacket, bringing him down the street on the other side safely.  
  
"You wanna call that in?" he heard one of the policemen say.  
  
"Call what in?" the other one said. There were a few moments of silence.  
  
"That's it. I-I'm off sugar." Brooklyn grinned at the comment and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up at his wings, flapping them for a moment, then folded them back to where they had been before.  
  
Suddenly he heard a lot of some kind of motors. He cocked his head, looking at the open end of the alley, seeing a bunch of bikers drive by. He revved his cycle again, and charged. He deliberatley went by them, turning a sharp corner. The bikers stopped, as did Brooklyn.  
  
"Hey, rechous hog, man," one of the bikers said.  
  
One man came up, obviously the leader. "That's some cherry ride, bro."  
  
Brooklyn grinned. "Glad ya like it."  
  
"Where'd ya get it?" another said.  
  
"My friends and I made it!"  
  
"Hey, cool." The leader smiled. Brooklyn took off his helmet, revealing that the horns on his helmet were actually on his head.  
  
The leader took a step back, shocked. "What?!" he said. "It's a freaking monster! Uh...get it!" he ordered. The gang members leapt forward, piling on top of him.  
  
Brooklyn was really surprised. "Hey, what're you doing?" he yelled as more and more attacked him. Then they started punching him. He went from surprised to XXXXed. He threw them all off with a burst of stregnth.  
  
He growled, standing up, allowing his eyes to glow. "You wanna fight?" he yelled. "You got it!" He spread his wings, throwing off the remains of the jacket.  
  
The first one came at him waving around a wrench. Brooklyn picked him up and threw him against the line of bikes, knocking them all over with the dominos effect. The others backed off."I was just trying to fit in!" Brooklyn yelled  
  
"Get him!" the leader yelled, pointing. They piled on top of him again. Brooklyn growled, throwing them off one at a time. "Enough!" The leader yelled, pulling a gun. "Let's see if your bullet-proof, freak."  
  
Brooklyn looked around, apparently surrounded. The leader took aim...  
  
A panther-like screech filled the air. Something whizzed by the leader, knocking his gun off aim. Brooklyn still had to dodge the bullet, and it fell onto the bike Lex had made. It blew up into a great fireball.  
  
Brooklyn roared, really XXXXed off now. "MY BIKE!" he yelled, extending his wings. He turned around and growled again. Another gargoyle landed next to him. He didn't look to see who it was, knowing it was one of his brothers.  
  
One used a chain like a whip. Brooklyn threw his arm up, letting the chain wrap around it. He swung his arm around, letting the biker fly. The other gargoyle picked up one of them as he tried to throw a punch and threw him against the wall.  
  
The leader regained his composure and began shooting at Brooklyn. The other gargoyle rushed past, bringing Brooklyn with it. He wasn't about to argue, so he went along. They climbed up the wall and glided off.  
  
The biked threw his gun away after all the bullets were gone, hopped on his bike, and rode away. Brooklyn wasn't about to follow him.  
  
Brooklyn landed on the top of a building, looking around. Something looked back at him and then ran into the shadows.  
  
"Broadway? Lexington?" Brooklyn asked, walking towards it.  
  
"None of the above," came a familiar voice. It walked out of the shadows smiling, the red glow in it's eyes dying down.  
  
"Demona?!" Brooklyn said in surprise, backing away.  
  
"Please," she started. "I just want to talk."  
  
"Uh-huh," Brooklyn said sarcastically, still backing away. "Last time, you just wanted to blow me away with a bozooka."  
  
"That was then-"  
  
"And this is goodbye!" Brooklyn yelled, turning around, hopping up on the fence, getting ready to take off.  
  
"Wait, please," Demona yelled.  
  
Brooklyn stopped and looked back, but didn't relax.  
  
"I'm sorry, Brooklyn," Demona said, walking forward slowly. "I-I know I shouldn't of shot at you." She looked down sadly. "I was crazy with rage and fear. If you only knew what I've gone through for hundreds of years dealing with the humans."  
  
Brooklyn's eyes widened in suprise. "Hundreds of years?! I thought you were under the sleep spell, like we were."  
  
"It's a long story, centuries long," Demona sighed. "I'd like to tell you about it, if you'd let me."  
  
Brooklyn turned his head away from her. "I don't trust you, Demona."  
  
"Wasn't this like old times?" she said, coming forward again. "Fighting together, side by side, comrades in arms..."  
  
"Stay back," Brooklyn warned.  
  
Demona stopped and sighed. "I saved you life just now." She crossed her arms .. "Doesn't that at least entitle me to a moment of your time?"  
  
Brooklyh thought for a moment, then relaxed his wings. "All right," he said softly. "I'm listening."  
  
Broadway and Lexington landed at the castle. They walked into the TV room, where Hudson, Bronx, and Goliath were.  
  
"Who do you think you are, Elvis?" came the mocking voice from the TV. Laughter filled the air. Goliath looked up from the book he was reading when Broadway and Lex came in.  
  
"Where's Brooklyn?" he asked.  
  
Broadway made gestures of holding onto handlebars. "He's out joyriding."  
  
Goliath raised an eye ridge. "Joy-rid-ing," he said, tasting the new word. He shrugged and went back to his book as another roar of laughter came from the television.  
  
"I want to help you, help all the gargoyles," Demona said. She was now up next to Brooklyn. "Those humans you just met...what did you do to provoke them?"  
  
Brooklyn looked away angrily. "I did nothing! They just attacked me!" he growled. Demona put a taloned hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Exactly," she said. "That's what humans are like." Brooklyn gave way to a look of surprise.  
  
"But...Goliath says when they get used to us..."  
  
"They were used to us a thousand years ago," Demona snarled. "Did that stop them from betraying and destroying our kind?"  
  
"I..." Brooklyn looked away. "I don't know."  
  
Demona jumped onto the fence. "You don't know the depths to which humanity can sink my young friend," she said. "But I do. Over the centuries, I've seen horrors that would blast your soul." She flung her wings open, offering a hand to Brooklyn. "Come, let me show you what mankind is really like."  
  
Brooklyn looked up at her. Then, almost guiltly, he placed his hand in hers. Demona smiled and drew him up into a standing position. They both jumped off the building, gliding off into the night.  
  
Here is another warning: this part is a little different from the original, not like Part I. It has many parts which are the same, but there is one more scene that Demona shows Brooklyn about humanity, and that scene between Goliath and Brooklyn is a little more heated(not much, but a little longer).  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Part II  
  
Their first stop was on top of another building, over an in-progress mugging .. It was the old scene: the man grabs the purse from the woman and runs like hell.  
  
"HELP! Police, police!" the woman yelled as the man dashed away.  
  
Brooklyn growled, preparing to stop him, but Demona placed her hand on his shoulder. "What would you do?" she said. "Capture him for human justice?" She turned away as Brooklyn looked at her. "He'd be out of jail and back on the street in a day," she finished, shrugging.  
  
Brooklyn looked at her sadly, knowing that she was right. Demona glided off the building. Brooklyn looked around for a moment, than followed her.  
  
They landed outside an innocent looking house. There was a commotion going on inside.  
  
"Look, his grades stink, his friends are hoodlums..." The man, apparently the father, was telling his wife.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU CARE?!" the woman yelled. "You're never home anyway!" She picked up a nearby vase and threw it at him.  
  
There was a slamming at the front of the house, and Brooklyn snuck forward to see a boy fleeing from the house in tears.  
  
"They can't share their own homes without fighting," Demona said from behind him. Her eyes lit up a terrifying red. "And you think they will share this world with us?"  
  
They next landed over a basketball court, looking at a kids' fight in progress. One child was surrounded by all the others, being teased and shoved around.  
  
"Punk!" "Crackhead!" "Asshole!" "Son of a bitch!" "Dickhead!"  
  
Brooklyn growled at the words, but did nothing about it. Demona looked at him and smiled. "You see? Their children can't get along. What makes you think that they would "get along" with us?"  
  
Their last stop was over a murder scene. A body was being shoved into an ambulance, a gun being put into a plastic bag as evidence.  
  
"They hold each others lives completely without worth," Demona said. "Do you really think they would accept us with open arms?"  
  
Brooklyn sighed and shook his head. "No."  
  
"And this is not the worst of it," Demona added. She stroked the side of his beak gently. "We must make Goliath see the truth. Humanity will never trust or accept us."  
  
"But not all humans are like that," Brooklyn interjected. "Elisa is our friend."  
  
"Perhaps the policewoman may be the exception that proves the rule," Demona said, standing up on the ledge they were standing on. "But can she keep you safe from the rest of humanity? Only we can protect each other, Brooklyn." Her eyes began to glow as she clenched her fists determinedly. "We must be untited and strong, and willing to deal with the humans as they would deal with us." She looked down at the scene again. "Goliath thinks we can hide in their midst like mice and hope for their understanding. This is not posssible. Remember what happened to Goliath and Lexington? They were hunted like animals because Lexington trusted the Pack."  
  
Brooklyn looked at Demona in shock. "How did you know?" he asked her.  
  
"If you think I'm wrong, then show yourself to them."  
  
Brooklyn looked down at the scene once again, hesitating. He looked away from Demona, knowing she was right.  
  
Demona smiled. "Very wise, my young friend. They would shoot you down like a dog."  
  
Brooklyn looked at his hands, then down at the scene again. He slowly got up .. "Let's say you're right. What can we do? Goliath still believes humanity will accept us eventually."  
  
"Goliath must be made to see the truth. There is a way Brooklyn," Demona said. "The Grimorum Achinorum. Bring it to me. There is a spell of truth in it's pages." She placed her hands on Brooklyn's shoulders. "With it, I can open Goliath's eyes. Once he understands, the rest will follow him."  
  
Brooklyn looked down at the murder scene once more, looking at the lights on top of the police cars, creating an intresting effect on the walls around them. Demona sat back, smiling.  
  
Slowly, she nodded.  
  
Goliath looked at Brooklyn gliding in, landing on the tower with ease.  
  
"How was your...joyride?" Goliath asked him.  
  
Brooklyn looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Uh... illuminating," he answered.  
  
"Goliath!" Goliath turned to see Elisa rushing up the stairs. She panted, out of breath. I'm glad I caught you before dawn."  
  
"Yes, Elisa...is something wrong?" Goliath asked, looking at her.  
  
"There will be. Xanatos's sentence is almost up. He'll be out of jail in a month!"  
  
Goliath crossed his arms. "So you've said before. Why does this concern you?"  
  
"It concerns you. You'll all have to find another place to live," Elisa said .. "But don't worry, I think I've found the perfect place..."  
  
"There's no need for that," Goliath interrupted. "Xanatos has been beaten. The castle is ours now."  
  
"How do we know that?" Brooklyn spoke up. "What if he tried to reclaim it?"  
  
"We will deal with that if and when it happenes," Goliath snarled. "But we are not leaving our home!"  
  
"But Goliath, what about the last time?" Brooklyn said, glaring at Goliath.  
  
Off to the side, Broadway, Hudson, and Lexington were looking at each other in surprise. They didn't think Brooklyn would ever talk to Goliath that way.  
  
"What about the last time?" Goliath said, puzzled as well.  
  
"The last time you trusted humans..." He was cut off as the sun rose and they turned to stone. Elisa, who had watched the scene as well, looked at the rising sun.  
  
"Hmmph, that's one way of avoiding a conversation," she muttered, turning to leave.  
  
The six gargoyles woke up with the usual roar. Goliath and Hudson glided down to the second level, that morning's arguement forgotten.  
  
Broadway yawned, stretching. "Lat's get some breakfast," he said, patting his stomach.  
  
Lexington looked at his red rookery brother, who seemed preoccupied. "You coming, Brooklyn?"  
  
Brooklyn avoided both pairs of eyes. "Maybe later."  
  
Broadway and Lexington shrugged, and went off to find some food.  
  
Brooklyn made sure they were out of sight, then glided off the tower. He circled around and landed in the courtyard.  
  
He put his back to the wall, casting a quick, hunting glance around. Then he ran into the Great Hall.  
  
The door opened with a metallic clang and Brooklyn tiptoed over to the Grimorum Achimorun. It was kept in a protective glass case. He slashed the mechanical lock and grabbed the Grimorum. He looked around once more and then ran out.  
  
Brooklyn landed in the middle of the Cloisters quietly.  
  
"I knew you'd come," came a voice from the shadows. Demona stepped out and walked towards Brooklyn.  
  
Brooklyn smiled and held out the Grimorum. "I brought the book."  
  
"Excellent," Demona said, grabbing the book from him and hugging it close. "Now all I need is Goliath...but how to get him here..."  
  
"I'll handle that," Brooklyn offered. "Anything to make him see the truth."  
  
Demona smiled. "Take your time. The spell required is complex. I'll need to study it."  
  
Brooklyn left as Demona opened the book, looking for the spell.  
  
Goliath sat on the tower, thinking.  
  
Brooklyn glided around and landed. "Goliath, I've found a fascinating place."  
  
Goliath looked at Brooklyn. "How so?" he asked.  
  
"It's like the world we came from," Brooklyn said. "It's called the Cloisters. Would ya like to see it?" Goliath noticed Brooklyn had a funny smile on his face, but ignored it and smiled himself.  
  
They landed at the Cloisters and Goliath looked around. "It's beautiful," he said, smiling. "I wish we'd brought the others."  
  
"It's good you didn't," came a familiar voice. "Because we wanted you here alone." Demona stepped out of the shadows, carrying a book. Goliath looked at Brooklyn, who looked guiltly-or was it smug?  
  
Brooklyn was backing away from Goliath, leaving him out in the open. To his horror, Brooklyn went and stood next to Demona. He looked at Demona, who was opening the book she was carrying, then back at Goliath.  
  
Goliath's first thought was, Brooklyn has betrayed the clan.  
  
Hi, me again. Now here is the part where it gets different, and a little tricky. Part III is mucho different from the cartoon. This is the part where....I'll let you find out.  
  
Part III  
  
Goliath growled. "Demona," he said, sneering. "So you did survive."  
  
"I always survive," Demona stated in a defiant voice. She flipped through another page in the book she was holding. Goliath recognized the book, finally.  
  
"The Grimorum!" Goliath said. He turned to the young red gargoyle standing next to her. "Brooklyn, what is happening here?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Listen to her, please, Goliath," Brooklyn said. "She has something veryimportant to say to you."  
  
"He's right, Goliath," Demona said, looking down at the book. "Listen, and obey." She raised her hand as Brooklyn watched on. "Sine dubio, instantato.. .." An eerie green light emmited from the book. It shot forward and struck Goliath.  
  
Goliath roared as he felt his own will being pulled from him.  
  
Brooklyn looked at Goliath. Goliath had covered his eyes with his hands, and now he was bringing them away. They were green, the same color as the light that flown into him.  
  
"Now what?" Brooklyn asked, turning to Demona. She closed the book and tucked it under her arm.  
  
"Watch," she said, shushing him. "Humans are our enemies," she said.  
  
"Humans are our enemies," Goliath repeated tiredly, like a child reciting a hated lesson.  
  
Brooklyn raised an eye ridge. "And this is showing him the truth? It sounds like you just made him your slave."  
  
"Our slave, Brooklyn," Demona stated, smiling. "Our slave."  
  
"But...what about the rest of the clan? They're not going to follow you if they know that he's being controlled."  
  
"It won't matter. If they don't cooperate, then we will place them under the spell as well."  
  
"Forever?"  
  
"No, just until we reach our goals."  
  
Brooklyn looked at Goliath again. "How does the spell work?"  
  
"He will obey whoever holds the spell."  
  
Brooklyn sighed. "You were just using me, weren't you? You just used me to get to Goliath."  
  
Demona turned to Brooklyn in shock. "Goodness, no!"  
  
"It's okay. I don't care...but I understand. If the rest of the clan doesn't understand that the humans really are our enemies, then I guess they would have to be "  
  
Demona looked at Brooklyn through a corner of her eye and gave a broad smile .. "You have made a wise choice on who to stand by, young one."  
  
Demona looked at the sky. "Let's be off, then." They climbed to the top of the wall and glided off into the night.  
  
Hudson was watching television when he heard the battle cry from outside. Bronx ears perked up, and he began growling.  
  
Hudson drew his sword and run outside. Broadway and Lexington had heard it as well, and were already out there, looking around.  
  
And seeing nothing.  
  
They heard the battle cry again, and this time Hudson recognized it. His eyes widened. "Demona!" he said. "She survived!"  
  
Lexington looked at the sky and saw Demona diving at them "There!" he yelled, pointing. "She's right there!"  
  
Demona landed on the ground, Goliath landing next to her. Hudson noticed he looked tired, and his eyes were a dull green.  
  
"What've ye done to him, lass?" Hudson said, raising his sword.  
  
Demona smirked. "Convinced him."  
  
"Convinced him to do what?"  
  
"To be our slave. And if you don't agree with me, then you will become our slave as well," Demona said, holding up a book.  
  
"OUR slave?" Hudson said.  
  
"I would think that at least one of you is going to agree with me."  
  
"Not in this lifetime!" Broadway yelled, eyes lighting up. The others did the same, and they all leapt for Demona.  
  
Demona took a step back. "Goliath, stop them!" she yelled, pointing at the rushing gargoyles.  
  
Goliath growled and picked up Lexington, who had reached him first. He threw Lex with all his might against Broadway, and they both fell on top of Bronx.  
  
Hudson, meanwhile, had reached Demona and noticed the Grimorum. "Ye have him under a spell!" Demona smiled and nodded.  
  
"Don't worry, old soldier, he is not under just my control," Demona said. "You could control him as well, if you held the spell."  
  
Hudson stroked his beard thoughtfully. Demona relaxed, a little. That's when Hudson struck. He lashed out at her, knocking her down. He grabbed the Grimorum and ran. Demona growled and chased after him.  
  
"Lad, get her!" He yelled, running. Goliath perked up and began walking towards Demona.  
  
Demona cornered Hudson. She tried to snatch the book away from him, but he held the book away from her. He tried to get away from her, but she cut him off no matter which way he went. Goliath was still running at Demona, but he was not going to get there in time.  
  
"Hudson!" Brooklyn's voice boomed from behind Demona. "Here!" Hudson tossed him the book and he caught in mid-air.  
  
Demona was watching Brooklyn catch it. She turned back to Hudson, smirking. "That was a fatal mistake, old soldier." Hudson looked at Demona, confused.  
  
Brooklyn held the book tightly. "Goliath, stop!" he commanded. Hudson looked at Brooklyn in shock as Goliath stopped advancing on Demona.  
  
"Have ye gone daft, lad?" he yelled. "What's wrong with ye?"  
  
Brooklyn smiled and shrugged. "My alliance has...shifted."  
  
Hudson gasped. "You mean...ye joined with Demona?"  
  
Brooklyn nodded. Demona said, "He was with me even before Goliath was under the spell."  
  
Hudson looked back over at Brooklyn. "Lad...it can't be true."  
  
"Sorry, Hudson. It's true. It's not like I betrayed the clan or anything... you just don't understand."  
  
"What don't we understand?" Broadway yelled, coming up next to Brooklyn, followed by Lex and Bronx.  
  
"You don't understand what humanity is really like," Demona said walking up next to Brooklyn. "I showed Brooklyn."  
  
"What, like you showed Goliath?" Lexington shouted, obviously angry and hurt.  
  
"No spells, Lex," Brooklyn said, shaking his head. "I was with her even before I got the Grimorum for her."  
  
"Ye stole the Grimorum, lad?" Hudson asked, still not believing that this young gargoyle had betrayed the clan.  
  
Brooklyn shook his head again. "I didn't steal it. I...borrowed it."  
  
"Hi, guys...what's going on?"  
  
Demona spotted Elisa as she came from inside the castle. Demona growled, eyes firing up.  
  
Elisa saw Demona, and Brooklyn standing next to her, holding the Grimorum. Goliath was behind her, and she couldn't see him.  
  
"Brooklyn...wh..."  
  
"He's betrayed the clan, lass!" Hudson yelled.  
  
"What?!" Elisa shouted. "Brooklyn...I don't believe it!"  
  
"Neither do I," Brooklyn sneered at Hudson. He turned and handed the Grimorum to Demona.  
  
Demona growled at Elisa as she took the book. "Goliath, kill the human," she ordered.  
  
Elisa looked behind her and saw Goliath. "Run, Elisa!" Broadway yelled.  
  
"He's under a spell!" Hudson joined in. Elisa looked back at them and then at Goliath. She bolted.  
  
Brooklyn was staring at Demona. "But...that's the one good human."  
  
Demona turned to Brooklyn. "If you remember, The Captain of the guard was the only good human, and then betrayed us."  
  
Brooklyn blinked and looked away. Demona was watching him carefully. "Young one, you know I'm right." Brooklyn sighed and nodded.  
  
While they were talking, Hudson had taken the oppurtunity to sneak up behind the two of them. He rammed into Demona and ran with the book.  
  
Brooklyn growled and chased after him. Hudson looked back and saw him. He faltered for a moment, and Brooklyn struck. He leapt up and planted a swift kick to Hudson's back. Hudson flew to the ground and skidded a moment and then was still.  
  
Meanwhile, Elisa couldn't believe that one of her friends had betrayed them, or had helped put another friend under a spell.  
  
"Goliath..." she whispered as she backed away from him. He had her cornered. He had risen a fist, preparing to strike...  
  
When Lexington and Broadway knocked into him, making him fall. Broadway grabbed Elisa and ran, while Lexington tried to hold Goliath down without much success. Goliath reared up and knocked Lexington away.  
  
Lex landed right by the Grimorum, where it had landed when Brooklyn knocked down Hudson. Lexington looked at it for a moment, and then at Brooklyn, who was rushing at him madly. Lex picked up the book and ran.  
  
Brooklyn went down on all fours and began to run faster after Lexington. Lex leapt up onto the wall and began to climb with the Grimorum in his mouth. Brooklyn immediately started climbing after him.  
  
Lexington didn't dare look back. He didn't want to see what his rookery brother had become. Without noticing it, a single tear ran down his cheek as he glided away towards Goliath.  
  
"GOLIATH!"  
  
The green-eyed Goliath turned his head from Elisa and Broadway. "STOP!" Elisa spotted Lexington with the Grimorum, with an angry Brooklyn right behind him. Lexington looked seriously hurt by Brooklyn's betrayal.  
  
Demona ran into Lexington from the side, trying to grab the Grimorum from him. It slowed him down enough for Brooklyn to catch up. Brooklyn began helping Demona, trying to loosen Lex's grip on the book.  
  
Lexington threw the book at Elisa and Broadway. Elisa jumped up and caught it. Demona immediatley dived for her, echoing a battle cry.  
  
Elisa ducked as Demona swooped over her head. Demona roared as she side- swiped a wall. Elisa looked back and then started running.  
  
Brooklyn landed right in front of her, growling. Elisa looked at him sadly. "Brooklyn, why did you do it?"  
  
"Do what?" he asked taking a step towards her.  
  
"Betray the clan."  
  
Brooklyn roared at her, eye glowing. Elisa cringed back. "I DIDN'T BETRAY THE CLAN! WHY CAN'T YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT?"  
  
"Because that's what you did!" Elisa insisted. "You don't usually cast spells over them, chase them around, or knock them out," she said, gesturing to the unconsious Hudson. Brooklyn glanced at him.  
  
Elisa backed away from Brooklyn, tucking the Grimorum under her arm like a football. She turned around to face Demona, with an enraged look on her face..  
  
"Prepare to die, human," she snarled. Brooklyn cornered her from the other side.  
  
"Elisa, give us the book," Brooklyn said in a soothing voice. "We won't hurt you."  
  
Elisa looked at Brooklyn with narrowed eyes. "Well, now, Mr. Psychiatrist, answer me this." Brooklyn raised an eyeridge, curious.  
  
"What?"  
  
Elisa smiled as Broadway tackled Demona from behind. Elisa whirled around and kicked Brooklyn in the face. Brooklyn roared and put a hand to the side of his face. He fell to his knees as a cut on the side of his face began to bleed.  
  
Demona flipped around and roared at Broadway. She punched Broadway in the face, knocking him off. Demona leapt up on from behind Broadway, putting both arms around his neck, pulling one up on his chin. Broadway growled and grabbed Demona on the shoulders and flipped her over, making Demona land on her back. Demona began gasping for air; she had had the wind knocked out of her.  
  
It took all his will not to go and comfort his brother, but Broadway turned to Brooklyn, who had gotten up with him hand still to his face.  
  
"Goliath!" Elisa yelled. "Get Brooklyn!" Goliath perked up and started running at Brooklyn. Goliath picked up him from behind and threw him into a wall. He tried to get up, but fell back to the ground, unconsious.  
  
Demona had gotten up by now and seen what had happened. She ran over to Brooklyn and picked him up. She ran over to the wall with him. She turned back and yelled, "You have won...this time." She leapt off the wall with Brooklyn in her arms.  
  
Elisa looked at the book and then back up at the sky. A battle cry echoed across the sky, joined by another lower one. Brooklyn had woken up.  
  
Elisa turned back to Broadway and Lexington. "Do you guys know how to reverse the spell?" They shook their heads.  
  
"Only that he will obey whoever holds the spell," Lex said, scratching his head.  
  
Elisa sighed and looked at Goliath. Then she smiled. "I've got it!" She walked up to Goliath, holding out the book.  
  
"Goliath, I'm holding the spell, so you have to do what I say," she said, showing him the book. "Goliath, I order you to act for the rest of your life exactly as you would if you were not under a spell." Goliath looked up and then closed his eyes, shaking his head.  
  
When he opened them, his eyes were back to normal. He looked at the remaning members of the clan. "Very clever, Elisa," he said, and the clan cheered. "It worked."  
  
Elisa smiled for a moment. Hudson had gotten up and walked up beside Elisa. "Brooklyn is gone," he said. "With Demona."  
  
Goliath nodded sadly. "It would seem we have a new enemy."  
  
Lexington and Broadway looked down at the ground in sorrow. Their only remaining rookery brother was gone.  
  
"Goliath...I'm so sorry," Elisa said, fighting back tears.  
  
Goliath looked at her. "What are you apologizing for?" Elisa just shook her head.  
  
Goliath looked up to the brightening sky. "Come, the sun is rising." They leapt up to their perches, straying their eyes from Brooklyn's usual perch. The sun rose, and instead of the usual fighting stance to ward of trespassers, they all had an expression of sorrow.  
  
Elisa looked straight at the sun, ignoring the fact she could ruin her eyes.  
  
"Goodbye, Brooklyn," she whispered. "I hope you find your way back home."  
  
Okay, nobody kill me. If you hated the story, tell me. If you loved it, tell me. Go on, I wanna know! This is not going to reflect any of my other stories, and I don't think I'm going to write another story in this universe, so if I make a reference to Temptation, it's the original, not this one.  
  
Coming Soon! Written by me and Kristafori: The Gate- A crossover between Kristafori's and mine fanfics. When the Phoenix escapes the Gate and the bindings that Goliath sent it to, it brings Krissie and her Brooklyn into my dimension. Problem is, will they get along with the clan's alter selves? 


	2. Long Way to Morning

AU: Long Way to Morning  
  
by Krystiana Slinky  
  
-------------------  
  
Hey, guess what! Gargoyles belong to Disney. I think you know that, though. The Altered Universe is my idea.  
  
This is the continuation of "Altered Universe." There, somebody gave it a name. Happy now?  
  
If I make a reference to anything with Demona in it after Awakening, then it's my version, not the orignal. You MUST read my version of "Temptation" in order to understand this at all.  
  
In this story, I am not going to write the flashbacks. They are the same in my story. If you haven't seen the original "Long Way to Morning," then e-mail me and I'll give you a summary.  
  
-------------------  
  
"Previously on Gargoyles..."  
  
Awakening, Part V  
  
Demona: Humamity is a poison that must be purged from this planet!  
  
Elisa knocking over Demona  
  
AU Temptation  
  
Brooklyn: My alliance has...shifted.  
  
Demona: Destroy the human.  
  
Demona pointing at Elisa  
  
--------------------  
  
Long Way to Morning  
  
--------  
  
Part I  
  
The gargoyles awoke.  
  
Like they did every night. Every normal, everyday night.  
  
This was not going to be a normal night.  
  
Hudson looked at the Eyrie building from the clock tower with a sorrowful look on his face.  
  
"You seem introspective, old friend," Goliath said.  
  
"Just...dreaming old dreams." Hudson sighed.  
  
Elisa stretched and reached for her gun. Placing her badge inside her jacket, she let out a jaw-splitting yawn. She looked in the mirror, doing her best not to look tired.  
  
A shadow glided across her window. Elisa turned around just as Demona came crashing through her skylight.  
  
"Demona!" Elisa shouted, pulling her gun. Demona grinned evily and fired something at her. Elisa flew back as her own gun went off. She looked down and saw a dart sticking out of her coat. Demona calmly walked up to Elisa and picked up her gun.  
  
"You've just been poisoned," she said in a pleasant voice. Crushing the gun, she added, "In twenty-four hours, you'll be dead." She turned around and began walking towards the skylight. "I have the antidote. Tell Goliath to meet me at the Old York Opera House in the village." She turned back again with a smirk on her face. "Ciao!" With that, she glided out of Elisa's apartment.  
  
Elisa pulled out the dart, feeling no pain. She opened her jacket and pulled out her badge, which now had a dent in it. Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked around cautiously.  
  
I have to tell Goliath about this, she thought.  
  
"Luckily the dart hit my badge," Elisa finished.  
  
Broadway and Lexington both looked hopeful. "Did you see Brooklyn anywhere?" Lex asked. Elisa shook her head. Broadway's face fell at the unspoken words.  
  
Hudson noticed this. "That could be bad or good, lad. Brooklyn has still a chance left to come back to us."  
  
Goliath spoke up. "We will go meet her." He turned to the outside. Elisa looked confused and ran forward.  
  
"But...I'm okay. You don't have to go," she stated.  
  
"If he doesn't, Demona will know her plan failed," Hudson said. "She'll go after you again."  
  
Everyone went outside. Broadway stepped forward. "I'll go with you," he said to Goliath. "We might be able to reach Brooklyn somehow."  
  
"No, you and Lexington take Elisa back to her apartment and stay with her until sunrise. She'll be safe from Demona then. Bronx, stay here and guard the tower. Hudson - you're with me." Hudson's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
Hudson glided silently beside Goliath, glancing at him every once in a while.  
  
"Maybe you should have brought the others," Hudson said.  
  
"No." Goliath shook his head. "Broadway and Lexington will be concentrating too much on Brooklyn. I need someone I can rely on."  
  
Hudson glanced at him again as they landed on the roof of the theater. He bent down to a few scratches made on the shingles.  
  
"She was here," Hudson said to Goliath. "Within the last few minutes."  
  
Goliath spotted a few more claw marks over nearby a chimney. They both glared at them.  
  
A low growl reached their ears. They looked up and saw Demona, wings outstretched, ready to fire her weapon.  
  
Hudson dived to the left as Demona leapt down. She fired at Goliath, who leapt up and dodged the blast. Demona growled and aimed again.  
  
"NO!!" Hudson shouted as Demona fired at Goliath with a full-powered blast. It hit Goliath directly in his heart. He fell back and crashed into the chimney.  
  
Hudson ran forward and dodged in front of Goliath's fallen body. Drawing his sword, he turned to face Demona.  
  
Demona only grinned trimphantly as she aimed the laser.  
  
Part II  
  
Demona sneered at Hudson for a solid second. Then she fired.  
  
Hudson pulled up his sword quickly and let the blast bounce off it. Demona gasped as it hit her. She went flying back over the wall.  
  
Hudson turned to Goliath and helped him up. Supporting him, he began making way to the edge of the opera house.  
  
Demona struggled up and growled. "Well done, old soldier," she muttered. "But you're only prolonging the inevitable."  
  
"I could say the same for you," Hudson shot back. "It's not that long to sunrise, when we'll all change. And tonight Goliath when awakens healed, he'll make short work of you."  
  
Demona chuckled. "You won't make it to sunrise," she laughed as she hopped over the hump in the roof. "I'm sorry it had to end this way," she said as she pointed to blaster at Hudson.  
  
Hudson glanced behind him. Turning around quickly, he jumped into the skylight.  
  
Demona's eyes widened for moment. Walking up to the now broken skylight, she said, "Desperate measures." She snarled silently. "Give it up, old one! Why prolong Goliath's suffering?"  
  
Hudson shook out the fall and quickly stood up. He helped Goliath to behind a prop of a boat. Goliath opened his eyes. "Leave me."  
  
"Never," Hudson said. "The dawn will heal ye. We can hold out until then."  
  
He looked up as Demona began talking again. She was up on the level above them. "You can run, but you can't hide," she said. "In fact..." Hopping down, she added, "You can't even run." She glared at the apparantly empty room.  
  
Hudson growled softly as he drew his sword.  
  
Broadway carried Elisa and landed on the balcony silently, Lex close behind. Elisa opened the skylight and dropped inside. As Broadway and Lex dropped behind her, she went to go turn on the light.  
  
As the light filled the room, a familiar face stepped out of the shadows. Elisa gasped and backed up. Broadway growled and quickly pushed her behind him.  
  
"Brooklyn," he snarled.  
  
"Surprise, surprise," Brooklyn muttered, head down.  
  
Elisa's apartment was quiet.  
  
Lexington coughed, a pointed sound. "This is a little... awkward, Brooklyn."  
  
Brooklyn looked up. "I don't really know how to say this... but... I" Avoiding everyone's eyes, he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."  
  
Elisa let it sink in. "What?!" she said, disbelieving.  
  
"I made such a stupid mistake, and I don't know how to say I'm sorry," Brooklyn added.  
  
"Are you saying," Broadway asked, "That you want to come back to the clan?"  
  
Brooklyn nodded solemnly. "I know you can't trust me, and I'll understand if you reject me... but..."  
  
"Brooklyn!" Broadway smiled. He walked up to Brooklyn, unscared. He put a hand on Brooklyn's shoulder. "I forgive you."  
  
Unknowst to Broadway, Brooklyn pulled out a small gun. "Really?" He silently cocked it and fired it into Broadway's gut. "Too bad for you."  
  
Broadway fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Brooklyn stood and watched for a moment before turning to Elisa and Lex, who were both staring at him in horrror.  
  
Brooklyn smiled evily as he pointed the gun at Elisa.  
  
Demona swept the room with her eyes. Like twin lasers, she searched for a glimpse of Hudson and Goliath. Seeing nothing, she decided to go for the vocal approach. "This game is futile. You were to old to play a thousand years ago. I could just rake this room with the laser. There's no way you'd escape." She walked silently behind a box, looking to both sides, smirking. "But I've givem you one last chance, Hudson. Goliath's time is over. I am the leader now." She frowned, still hearing nothing. "Swear fealty to me and I'll let you live."  
  
Hudson heard her words, but said nothing. He was searching, too - for a way out. He finally spotted a barred window.  
  
Demona snarled when she saw or heard nothing. "Very well, then! Die, hiding like the cowards you are!" She began firing continuously around the room, blowing everything to pieces.  
  
Hudson pulled Goliath out of the window. He looked around.  
  
Goliath spoke up again. "Please. Leave me here," he breathed. "Save yourself."  
  
Hudson narrowed his eyes. "Gargoyles don't leave their warriors behind."  
  
The smoke cleared, and Demona still saw nothing - except a window, with broken and bent bars on it. She smiled for Hudson's desperate hope."Oh, but you're a clever old thing..."  
  
Hudson faintly heard her taunting, knowing she had seen the window. He saw a grate in the street.  
  
Demona crawled out of the window a few moments later. She saw the same grate, half-open. She knelt beside it. "Are you foolish enough to go underground where you can't use your wings?"  
  
Hudson splashed through the tunnel, mostly likely a sewer. He glanced at Goliath, trying to give him and himself hope." "We'll make it through this night yet, lad. Ye're a tough one. I always knew that." He smiled. "Re-remember the search for the Archmage. Now that quest took gumption..."  
  
Lex stared at his rookery brothers. One was lying crumpled on the floor, the other pointing a gun at their only human friend.  
  
"Brooklyn, why did you leave?" he asked, trying to distract him. "Why did you leave us?"  
  
Brooklyn didn't even glance at Lex as he spoke. "You could have come with us, too."  
  
Lexington tried to cool his temper. "Why would I want to?" he snarled.  
  
Brooklyn smiled, still pointing the gun with accuarcy. Demona must have given him lessons. "Well, if you're going to be tempermental about it..." He suddenly whipped the gun towards Lex and fired.  
  
The blast hit Lex in the shoulder. Lex cried out as he flew back into the wall.  
  
Elisa gasped and looked back at Brooklyn. He was again aiming the gun at her. She was shocked.  
  
"How could you do that?" she whispered. "He's your brother..."  
  
"So?" Brooklyn said carelessly. "He wasn't exactly being all chummy to me, either."  
  
"Shooting him is slightly different," Elisa said, raising her voice slightly.  
  
"It's not hurting him any. It's only a stun gun."  
  
Lex got up, holding his shoulder and snarling. He leapt up towards Brooklyn. Brooklyn easily sidestepped him and let Lex run into the wall. Elisa glared at him, but said nothing. Brooklyn picked up Lex by the belt and threw him over by Broadway.  
  
"Why are you here?" Elisa asked, trying to stall for time. Sunrise had to sometime soon.  
  
Brooklyn turned back towards her. "Demona wants you dead. She sent me to do the job."  
  
Elisa blinked. "You mean she sent you to do her dirty work," she said casually, although she was near frightened to death inside.  
  
Brooklyn peered at her curiously. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You're her lackey!" Elisa suddenly blurted out. "You're like her sidekick!"  
  
Brooklyn narrowed his eyes again, and they took on a whitish cast. Evidently pushing a sore spot, Elisa pushed on. "She makes all your decisions."  
  
"She gives me more freedom than Goliath did," he hissed at her.  
  
Elisa didn't waver, not showing her nervousness. "Are you sure?"  
  
Hudson glanced at his charge as Goliath moaned. "It's hopeless, Hudson. Save yourself."  
  
Hudson sighed. "Hear me, lad. We go together, or we don't go at all."  
  
"Your courage is admirable, but ultimately futile."  
  
Hudson spun around to face Demona just as her laser went off. He leapt into the air and began running, dragging Goliath with him.  
  
But he had no where to run. The end of the line was a waterfall. Demona grinned as she pointed her laser at him. "I'll make it quick, old soldier."  
  
Hudson looked her in the eye, and jumped.  
  
"What?!" Demona ran forward, just in time to see them dissappear into the water.  
  
Part III  
  
Demona hissed at their falling forms. She suddenly heard a crackle and her hair began standing on end. A bolt of lightning came down and struck at her feet.  
  
Hudson swam to the surface, still carrying Goliath. He began paddling towards shore. He finally got there, and he looked at Goliath to see how he was doing. Hudson covered the young leader with his wings, worried. "Stay with me, lad. We've been in worse scrapes than this, remember?"  
  
Brooklyn snarled at her. "Why don't you just shut up, human?"  
  
Elisa narrowed her eyes. "See?" she said. "You always called me Elisa, before Demona messed with you!"  
  
"Demona didn't do ANYTHING to me!" Brooklyn shouted.  
  
Broadway heard Brooklyn's words. He opened his eyes to slits, watching his rookery brother.  
  
Lexington spoke up from his place on the ground. "She's corrupting you, Brooklyn. Elisa is the only friend we have in this world. She's the only one we can trust!"  
  
Brooklyn's eyes flared. "You don't get it!" he shouted at Lex and Broadway. "Remember the Captain of the Guard? He was our only friend we had in the past world. He was the only one we could trust!" He stopped and hissed, letting his eyes glow brighter. "And he betrayed us!"  
  
"Demona betrayed us!" Broadway said. "Just like you did!"  
  
"I didn't betray you!" Brooklyn growled. "You betrayed our clan! You know the humans can't be trusted! There aren't that many of our kind left, and you place their lives in the hands of a human!"  
  
Hudson looked around his surroundings. A cemetary. And it was almost dawn.  
  
He spotted a masoleum across the way. He began half-carrying, half-dragging Goliath towards it. Over the thunder, he heard footsteps. He stopped and looked back.  
  
Demona was there.  
  
Hudson let out a silent hiss and opened the masoleum door. He carried Goliath inside. "Stay in here, lad."  
  
"You... can't... face her," Goliath gasped out.  
  
"I can face her," Hudson assured him. He began walking out, pausing for a moment. "I just can't beat her," he muttered. Hudson walked outside. The rain wasn't letting up, making it hard to tell when dawn was coming.  
  
He knelt beside a headstone and pulled his sword. A bright flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Hudson glanced down at his sword and noticed something odd. That angel statue... it had TWO pairs of wings?!  
  
Hudson gasped and leapt out of the way as the scarlet beam of the laser hit the ground. Demona leapt down, snarling as Hudson ran for cover behind some headstones. "Join me, or join Goliath in death!" Hudson absently noticed Goliath in the masoleum, head down.  
  
"Don't be a fool!" Demona continued. "Together we can rule this world!"  
  
Hudson growled and charged out of hiding, waving his sword. Demona gasped and held up her laser in defense. He used the headstones as shields, diving behind one and then leaping to another. Demona began blasting each one in turn, apparently not caring about the so-called "Rest In Peace."  
  
Demona's scarlet glow faded away and then she looked around. She didn't see him anywhere. She heard something moving behind her... she spun around. She let out a snarl, eyes blazing again, ducking. Hudson's blade sliced straight through the statue. It paused for a moment before finally falling.  
  
Demona growled again, and leapt into the air, landing on the very masoleum Goliath was in. "Enough of this!" she shouted. "Time to die, old fool!"  
  
Hudson followed suit and leapt after her, going higher and attacking from above. Demona's eyes widened as Hudson came down on her. She didn't use the laser as a laser anymore - she used it as a sword, blocking and charging Hudson.  
  
Goliath heard the commotion on the roof. As a battle cry echoed through the air, he shook off the haze. "Hudson!" he gasped. He struggled up and out the door.  
  
Demona hissed at Hudson, forcing Hudson back. "I would have ended this quickly! Now you will suffer!" She raised up her weapon to give the fatal blow, only to have somethig weigh it down.  
  
"Demona, no!" Goliath said.  
  
Demona smirked. "Goliath. How good of you to join us." She swatted Hudson away and smacked Goliath to the roof. Hudson intercepted another blow with his sword.  
  
"Give it up girl. Ye can't win."  
  
Demona growled in frustration. "I'm smarter, stronger, and younger than you!" she shouted, accenting each word with a swing of her laser. "Your pride will cost you your life!" She finally forced him to the ground, only to watch Hudson look calmly at her. "But I know something you don't. Something that comes only with age." At Demona's confused look, he continued. "I know how to wait." He sat up and looked to the east.  
  
Dawn.  
  
"Noooo!!" Demona protested, turning her head away from the sunrise, as if not seeing it would prevent it from happening.  
  
Three new statues slept in the cemetary that day.  
  
Elisa looked out the window. A sudden wave of relief swam through her.  
  
Broadway stood up, looking at Brooklyn. He smirked. "Surprise," he said.  
  
Brooklyn's features took on something confused, and then he gasped in realisation. "NO!" He began running to the window, but it was too late. The stone sleep overtook him.  
  
Elisa stared at the statue. She thought hard, and then ran out the door, heading to the hardware store to get some heavy-duty rope.  
  
The statues atop the masoleum were silent all day, until the sun went down. Small cracks began forming along all three of them. The stone bits flew off the three gargoyles, and Demona rose her weapon over her head triumphantly.  
  
"Now it ends!" she cried. She brought her laser down fast.  
  
Hudson caught it easily. "Yes, lass. Now it ends." He turned back to Goliath, slowly. "Feeling all right, lad?"  
  
Goliath took a deep breath and looked at Demona. "Just fine."  
  
Demona let go of her laser, eyes narrowed. "You think you've won," she said. "But you've forgotten why you came. Your human friend." She paused, grinning. "Brooklyn was waiting for her, anyway. To finish the job quicker." Goliath's eyes widened in horror.  
  
She was just about to turn and leave when she heard Broadway's voice. "Special delivery!" Brooklyn, tied up in rope, was suddenly dropped in between Goliath and Demona. A crumpled gun dropped beside him. Broadway and Lexington landed behind Hudson.  
  
Lex pointed at Brooklyn. "I think you dropped this at Elisa's apartment," he said to Demona. Brooklyn glared at them as Demona slashed his bonds.  
  
"Even if he didn't kill her, the poison has. By now it's run it's course." She smiled triumphantly as she and Brooklyn turned to leave. "And there is no antidote!" They glided off, Demona echoing a battle cry.  
  
Goliath turned to Broadway and Lex. "Does Brooklyn know if Elisa is alive?"  
  
Broadway shook his head. "Elisa tied him up during the day, but she hid when he woke up."  
  
Lex spoke up. "We told him we were going to take him back and get the antidote from Demona."  
  
"I mean, she was acting fine last night, but it wasn't long enough yet."  
  
Goliath smiled. "Good. It's probably best they don't know Elisa is alive."  
  
"Aye. For as long as we can keep it a secret," Hudson said.  
  
"Which is for how long?" Broadway asked.  
  
Goliath looked at the moon. "I don't know," he said solemnly.  
  
"But we will."  
  
End  
  
Finished 6/26/98 Friday, 2:49 AM  
  
Edited 6/30/98 Tuesday, 1:32 AM (like you care)  
  
Final Editing and Posted 9/24/98 Thursday, 8:34 PM  
  
ARGH!! THIS TOOK WAAAAAY TOO LONG TO WRITE!!! Oh, well. I finished it, finally, writing over half of it in one sitting. It's close to three in the morning, and I'm tired. I started it when "Highlander: The Series" was finished, and now I'm done!! (and I can go to sleep!)  
  
Next up is whatever someone else volunteers to write. I need someone to write "AU: Reawakening," cuz I can't, and I don't wanna. Oh, if you wanna use this idea or something, just ask. I won't say no, I just wanna read it. (IE: Crossover, Actual story (oh PLEASE ohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease!!!)  
  
Coming Soon to a Fic Archive Near You!!  
  
Future Tense, Part V: Loving the Enemy: 2026 AD: Can Brooklyn and Demona's relationship fall through? Or will something happen to one of them first? 


	3. Reawakeing 01

Ok, standard disclaimer. Gargoyle copyright belong to Buena Vista, Disney, and Greg Weisman. What I am writing here, I am writing because of how much I admired the show, and wish to try to be as good as the show actually was. I am not making any profits off of this, so please, don't sue! 

Non-standard. The beginning of this little series was originally written by Krystina, in her stories of "AU - Temptation", where Brooklyn really is corrupted by Demona, and "AU - Long Way To Morning". When she asked if anyone would like to write the third installment of this AU (Altered Universe), I took up the challenge. I hope that I have done justice to the characters, and shown how Brooklyn's corruption can affect everything. From here, the Altered Universe truly breaks from the normal Gargoyle plot line, and I hope has gone off in a direction that we will all find interesting. Also thanks for Kitainia for proofreading this! One proffreder disappeared, and the other's e-mail didn't get to me for some reason. Blessed be and enjoy the story!

---------------

CASTLE WYVERN LIBRARY, 1994 A.D.

_David Xanatos_

A strange being was sitting in my library. His crimson skin sharply contrasting with his snow white hair, which fell halfway down his back between his wings. For some reason he was sitting at the top of a ladder instead of a chair. I guess he had some trouble finding one that would be comfortable with his tail. His foot long beak was almost jammed into a book, and so absorbed into it was he that he barely noticed my presence. Or maybe he had and... no, if he had he would be watching me instead of the book, instinct to fight or flee ringing in his mind. Wish I could get a picture of this, but who would I show it too? Anyone who saw it would think it was some strange picture of a demon, complete with horns.

Of all the Gargoyles I have met, Brooklyn is the most inhuman looking. Though no animal as some may think at first, his mind is one of the most tactically sound I have met, if he could get just 3 people to follow his orders I would have trouble getting him with a squad of fully armed men. If he would give them orders in the first place. Demona has quite infected him with her attitude towards humans, he could be dangerous if he takes it to the same levels that she has. I should work on him to prevent this.. "Be careful not to drool on that, some of these books are quite rare."

He jerked, and I can only say it was a credit to his skills as a warrior that he doesn't fall. "Oh? I guess as a student of Latin, I am unqualified to handle books? Don't worry, they won't even get a claw mark on them."

"Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Interesting choice. You know that particular copy was written in hand by one of Darwin's direct students?"

"So I read. Interesting theory too, know about it?"

"Quite a bit, I am after all at the top of the corporate food chain when I started out as the child of a fisherman. I didn't get there by being a weakling, or without know the flaws in that theory." Brushing off my Armani suit. Yes, quite a long way from the fisherman my father wanted me to be indeed!

"Oh? What flaws?" Yes, I got him!

"Most people who read that assume you should destroy all competition. But if you start doing that you will eventually be destroyed by someone better, and as any amateur fighter knows, there is always someone better out there."

"And how did you get around that? It would be easy for someone like you to cover up a small massacre if you wanted to after all." Brooklyn said with a sarcastic curve on his beak. Strange how that beak can have so much expression.

"Officially yes. But rumors would start, and it would be harder to get people to trust me. I am still having problems with the time I was arrested. Influence is my strength."

"Don't you mean control?"

"You mean like the Steel Clan robots? You've seen how effective that is. They are useful occasionally, but not really helpful. Have so little of their own initiative that the second they go against a real opponent they get slaughtered."

"Heheh, yeah, they were. Were shocking at first, but real pushovers once we started fighting."

"Yes. Complete control petty much negates any use they might be. Influence people and you don't need to ask for help when you need it, just let it be known. And it keeps people in line enough to prevent them from harming you deliberately."

"But wouldn't direct control be safer? An electro-shock collar for example?"

"Please. I do something like that, and the person either becomes a spineless coward, or concentrates most of his efforts on ridding himself of it. Influence still gets a person to do what I want them to do, and be a lot better at it than they normally would. And the coward can still be influenced by someone who could give him a little courage."

"So what does this have to do with me? I don't think people will exactly yell in gratification when they see me face to beak. They'll just go AIIIEEEEEEEEE."

"Yes, that is a problem. But there is one role you can play where people would accept 'deals' from someone like you, and allow you to influence them." He doesn't answer, now for the hook. "Demonology."

"What? Ah, you mean appearing to people in a fiery blast of brimstone and demanding they worship me?"

"If you want, though I would stay away from worship. Religion is powerful, but can turn on it's wielder as easily as anything else."

"Oh, I can just imagine doing something like that in Times Square. I am sure to immediately be shot with holy water, after they try guns of course."

"Yes, you would need to find people who are desperate enough to 'deal with the devil himself'. I could do that for you." He looked at me in wide-eyed amazement, and I couldn't help giving him one of my smirks.

"Xanatos! Don't you have your machines ready yet? We have to do this tonight or not at all!" yelled a voice from the upper doorway. The hallway light illuminated one of the most beautiful and deadly beings on this world, the Gargoyle sorceress Demona. The bright light seemed only to highlight her dark blue wings, bright red hair, and the golden jewelry I have never seen her without. I'm betting they are some sort of magical aid of hers, but I can't be sure.

"If you have all you need, we can start immediately."

"Of course! I will see you in the tower." And with that she spun into the doorway and left. Amazing how her every movement seems to echo with hatred, even when she is as calm as she can ever get.

Turning back to Brooklyn, I caught him just snapping his beak shut. Heheh, well, she is the only female available to him... "Think about what I said, will you?" And with that I went to my castle tower to further 'influence' Demona into giving me immortality....

_Goliath_

The stars are beautiful tonight. Strange, how that after a thousand years even the stars have changed. Not much, but enough to notice it if you look. So much has changed. It seems like only yesterday that I was talking with my rookery brother......

CASTLE WYVERN, 994 A.D.

Four beings were standing on top of one of the castle turrets. One was a white haired and white robed human wizard known only as the Magus. Another was the sable haired and lavender skinned Gargoyle clan leader named Goliath, for his great size. His mate and second in command was another of the beings, her blue skin becoming almost a midnight color on her wings, crowned with a wild thatch of fire red hair. The rookery brother of Goliath was the fourth. His skin the same blue as his rookery sister's, only his wings were the same color as the rest of him. He was one of the few gargoyles who actually wore armor, somehow he got the castle blacksmith to make him a chest piece out of some red metal. His naturally white hair contrasted the pair of horns that crowned his head.

"Useless creatures! Why are you still here? If you wait much longer you will not have to track the Vikings, they will be at our gates again!" the Magus was yelling as he stormed past Goliath, his rookery brother, and his second in command.

The Second watched him storm out of sight down the stairs out of sight and asked, "Why do we risk our lives protecting the humans castle?"

"She is right, we can survive anywhere." agreed her rookery brother.

"Because a gargoyle can no more stop protecting the castle than breathing the air," said the elder as he came up the stairs where the Magus had gone down. Not empty words coming from him, who has spent his whole life protecting the castle, and getting the marks to prove it. Even though old, his stride was the stride that only an experienced warrior could do and not look foolish. His formerly blonde hair now pure white, his left eye discolored and half blind. Not even the stone sleep could cure all wounds, and this one still left a mark running from his cheek to above his eye ridge. His light brown skin darkened on his wings to a kind of mud brown.

"I would have you at my side old friend, I will need your tracking skills." said the gargoyle clan leader, Goliath. Turning to his rookery brother, he put his claws on his brother's shoulders, clasping them in a warrior parting.

"Stay here and guard the castle. I will see you soon." His brother nodded in agreement, though his eyes showed his displeasure. Turning to his mate, he took her carefully in his claws, lifted her face up to him and whispered lovedly to her, "And you my love, I never lose sight of."

With that Goliath and the elder leapt off the castle turret, heading off to make sure the Vikings who attacked the castle were truly heading back to where they came from, and to help them on their way. The elder's mind already thinking of the route they would have to take. Goliath looked back briefly, saw his brother brooding a little, and his second in command and mate looking after him with some worry. Goliath turned away smiling slightly, no doubt thinking that her worry was for him.....

CLOCK TOWER ABOVE THE NYPD 23RD PRECINCT BUILDING, 1994 A.D.

So much has changed since that night. All but seven of my clan killed, my own love turning out to be a traitor to us all. Corrupted by only seeing the worst of humanity, her attempt to get rid of the humans backfiring and getting our clan killed instead. Only a few of us surviving to this time and place because the Princess managed to let go of her hatred for us. Sigh Just wish she would have done it sooner. At least before the Magus, believing her dead, cast a spell that froze most of us remaining into our stone slumber for a thousand years. Or before her Captain of the Guard, one of our few friends then, got sick of the contempt she and most of the castle had for my clan. He and my Angel of the Night may not have betrayed us all then..... If wishes were horses....

But a few things still remain the same. Hatred, fear, and jealousy can still corrupt. My Fallen Angel has convinced one of the younger ones of my clan of her beliefs. A half-truth that she believes is the whole truth, leaving only five in my clan. At least they are more or less adjusting this new time and place. They have even taken names, a custom very few of us took part in before.

"We're going to the movies Hudson. Want to come along?", asked Broadway. Though he nearly has the same wingspan as I do, he is far less agile in the air due to his large over fondness of food. His wide girth makes him the butt of many jokes. But it is not to be underestimated, for he has more than learned how to use all that weight in combat, even if his favorite weapon is a half chewed leg of mutton.

"Thank you lads but no. Why go out in the snow to see something that will be on cable soon enough?", replied the elder now named Hudson. He has settled into "old age". Though he has had the most difficulty adjusting, for he has no fondness for this time, with all its contraptions and noise. Spends most of his time in this tower with our watchdog laying at his side, both watching "television". Though he is still a warrior, keeping that short sword he has at his side all the time. "Besides, someone has to stay here and guard our home."

"Heheh, we live above a police station, what could happen?" countered Lexington. The smallest of us all, his great speed more than makes up for whatever size he possesses. With uncommon web-like wings running between his arms and legs, instead of another set of limbs like the rest of us, he makes a hard target when he is in the air. He has had the easiest time adjusting to this place of any of us. His love of machines, which the humans have only gained in skill producing since the 10th century, has certainly helped, Lexington is constantly tinkering with the broken clock gears. When we first saw a helicopter, he was the only one to recognize it as a machine, instead of the dragon that the rest of us thought it was. But even he seems to be missing something....

"Besides, you know the old saying. A Gargoyle can no more stop protecting the castle-"

"-than breathing the air!" finished Lexington and Broadway in unison, arms upraised, looking to the sky. Earning a hard look from Hudson. They go off smiling slightly. However those smiles quickly fade when Broadway says "We don't even live in a castle anymore."

I should say something, but I can't think of anything, after all that statement is only too true. What castle do we still protect?

"Hi Elisa!" yells Broadway as he leaps outside, quickly followed by Lexington as he yells "Bye Elisa" as he too leaves. I can hear Broadway asking if there is time to get something to eat before the show.

NYPD Detective Elisa Maza, our first true human friend in this century. Dressed in her normal red leather jacket, black T-shirt, blue jeans, with the addition of a scarf and gloves to protect her from the cold, she comes into the tower. Her black hair thrown over her back, contrasting her tan skin. Our first "friend" quickly turned out to be trying to control us to his own gain. Elisa has proven to be someone I would trust, and have trusted with my life. She has guarded me at her own peril against odds that, despite her formidable warrior skills, should have killed her. And has continued to do so despite the danger from our other 'friend', David Xanatos. She has suggested this tower above the place she works as a refuge. I have done my best to help and protect her in turn to the best of my ability. "Where are they off to in such a rush?"

I reply "They are fascinated by this time and place. They are amazed by all the things in this time."

"How can you stand this cold? I'm almost freezing."

"Gargoyles are immune to all but the most extreme cold."

"Which explains why you're all still in loincloths."

"Is it not time for you to go on duty?" I say as I turn back to the clock face, trying to make out the stars behind it, among the falling snow.

"Un, yeah. I guess it's time to do a little of the ol' protect and serve."

What is missing...? "Protect? And serve?"

Elisa turns back to me, as she was about to leave and says, "The police motto. It's what I live for."

"Protect whom, and serve how?" Interested now, I leap down, using my wings to slow my fall.

"The people. The honest citizens. We protect them and serve them, and do the same for each other."

"You mean the police, your clan."

"Right, my clan, who will disown me if I don't get to work."

"I'll come with you, perhaps I can learn something from this."

"Sure, just let me get something." And with that she and I leave.

CASTLE WYVERN, A REMOTE ROOM IN ONE OF THE TOWERS, 1994 A.D.

_Coldstone (Othello)_

"IT'S ALIVE! ALIVE!!!!...... I've always wanted to say that." These are the first words I hear, and the first clue that all is not as it should be. Where am I.... why am I not shedding my stone skin.... why can't I see?!? I try to quickly sit up, but I am only able to manage a slow rise. At least I can see now...... ah I had a sheet covering my face. Why would I have a sheet covering me? "Can it hear us?" That voice again... I am awake enough now to turn to it. I see a strange man with a small strange beard, his clothes like nothing I have seen any human wear, but rich clothing nonetheless.

And I see my red-haired rookery sister, "Brother? Do you remember me?" I nod and look directly at the human. Strange, I hear a whirring noise...... My sister introduces the human, "This is Xanatos, my servant." The human gives her an odd look, I am awake enough now to notice these things, especially this strangeness of my own body....

"What am I?" My voice comes out, strangely rough as I stand up next to the table I was on.

"You are cold stone brought to life." Answers my sister.

"Cold.... stone?!"

"Do you remember anything?"

"I remember.. the castle... Goliath, my rookery brother... went to find.." What...? "the Vikings. Dawn came... and then.." What... what happened then... "Oblivion."

"Goliath abandoned us to the mercy of the humans!" my sister cries out, emotion finally coming into her voice. I can only raise my head in surprise, hearing that same whirring noise again, what is that?!!, "He has been seduced by their beliefs. It is he who has turned you into this!" My sister takes me over to a mirror and gestures to it.

Within the mirror is a monster. It shows some resemblance to a gargoyle wearing some strange piecemail armor. I look closer and it is then that I realize something. That is my reflection! It is not armor that I am wearing, but something that actually IS my body, even one of my eyes is not as it should be, and the other half of my face is just a piece of metal with the horn cut off! By the dragon, I am not just flesh anymore!

All of this hits me at once, my altered self I was just getting used to. But my brother was the cause of this abomination!!?!? I attack it, but instead just break a mirror, it is not enough - I can't think straight, pure rage at this is filling me, I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THIS NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!

_Brooklyn_

I was out on the castle wall, thinking about what Xanatos said when I heard this bloodcurdling roar and out of the tower window came what could only be Coldstone. The window was too small for him but he didn't seem to mind, he just made it twice as big when he went through it. Not even Goliath could do that without breaking his own bones! As he flew (not just gliding as I do, but actual flight!), I couldn't help but admire the raw power Xanatos and Demona put into him. I mean, he was powerful when he was just flesh, but now....! He is a near perfect example of survival of the fittest, I bet he could take Demona and Goliath single handed! A living example of survival of the fittest, assuming he survives flying off in a rage like that.....

OUTSIDE MR. JAFFE'S STORE

_Dective Elisa Maza_

My partner had us stop our patrol right in the middle of a bad part of Manhattan. That was unusual. "Come'n Matt, what's up?"

"Aw, nothing. I know the guy who owns this place. He's been robbed three times this month alone." And with that he got out of my Fairlane and continued. "He's a tough old bird, born and raised here. He won't let street scum drive him out. Just wish we could protect him better. Coming?"

"Go ahead I have some thinking to do."

"What? Afraid your brain will overheat if you come in out of the cold?" I just shook my head and looked away. He gave me an exaggerated eye roll with a shoulder shrug and went into the store. Heheh, who would have thought that the ex-FBI agent had a soft side? I thought they trained to be a hard hearted pain in the ass. Maybe that's the real reason he was kicked out. Still, for some reason he can still get a laugh out of any woman with his conspiracy theories. Or maybe that has more to do with his red hair, and the old-fashioned trenchcoat he always wears.

Better check on my 'air-support'. I took out the transceiver on my coat collar and put a finger to the receiver in my ear, "Goliath?" And I saw his huge form settle on a nearby rooftop. Already reaching for his own transceiver and receiver. "State of the art, I don't even have to talk loud." Not to mention that both parts are about the size of a quarter. But then a 10th century Gargoyle wouldn't know about how large these things had to be just a few years ago.

"Yes, a most amazing device. I can hear you perfectly. Why does that man keep his shop open? He could be robbed again. Why does he not leave?"

At last it sounded like he was getting out of this depression he has been in. I was getting worried. "This is a dying neighborhood Goliath. The big markets won't even come here. If he closes this store people will have no place to buy food. That is more important to him than hiding in his own little castle."

"His community... needs him?"

"To survive."

"All units code three to Times Square!" The dispatch radio suddenly squawked.

"Matt! Let's move!" And with that Matt and I rush to Times Square. Unknown to him, we have an aerial escort.

TIMES SQUARE

_Officer Morgan_

I was one of the first officers that arrive at Times Square, and one of the first to wish we had brought bigger weapons, police issues just bounce off the thing. I mean, we police officers are supposed to handle people, and I can deal with types ranging from the lowest street thug to the highest crime lord. Whatever was causing this disturbance wasn't anything we were trained to handle! The most we could do was keep rubber neckers from getting too close.

"Officer Morgan! What's going on?" asked Detective Maza, just as she and her partner pulled up in her Fairlane.

Now this is a comfort, Maza is the best shot on the force! "You got me, but whatever it is, it's angry!"

Maza and her partner ran past us officers right up to the front line, just when the thing started lifting a nearby car over its head, and I don't mean just the back bumper or anything like that, but the entire car. Maza and her partner, Bluestone I believe, started shooting. But like the rest of us their bullets just bounced off it, not even Maza's legendary marksmanship was effective, and they probably would have been killed if things had not just gotten weirder. All I saw was a large purple, no lavender, thing come out of the sky and tackle the other thing, throwing off the first thing's aim so that it missed Bluestone and Maza.

The two things wrestled with each other for a few moments until the first thing simply overpowered the second and threw it into an already tipped over bus. Thinking that Maza could use a better view of her target, I ordered everyone to turn their flood lamps upon the first thing. Hopefully she would be able to see something that was vulnerable on it. Unfortunately it also gave us our first good look at it as well.

The thing looked like someone threw some monster parts into a trash compactor. I mean, for the most part it looked like some sort of high tech robot (at least the light shined off those parts like metal), except for one hand and a couple parts of a leg, a non-human hand and leg. And the rest of it followed the same non-human design the the "flesh" parts did, at least I have never heard of any human with wings and a tail, not to mention four-fingered claws and feet. As it lowered its arms and tried to look past the glare of our floodlights, I noticed its face followed the rest ot its body. High-tech robotic like features mixed with non-human like flesh.

Then, as if we haven't had enough surprises tonight, it looked at the other thing, which I now notice was much like the first one save it was all flesh and had different coloring, and spoke. "Rookery brother? You betrayed us!" Pointed an arm at the other one, some sort of weapon popped out of it, and shot at the other thing. I could recognize from the sound that it was one of those new non-projectile weapons. Good lord, who would put one of those things on that thing? Needless to say, we all ducked behind our cars for safety, though that weapon could blow them up in a few shots. Fortunately that didn't happen, as the one shooting was too preoccupied with the lavender thing to aim at us. In fact it seemed very angry, yelling something about betrayal of its clan.

But no matter how powerful or skilled the lavender thing is, the half-robot thing was just as skilled, more powerful, and had that gun as well. Despite the lavender one doing very good job dodging about, the half-robot thing was able to knock part of a building upon it. Before the lavender one could get up, the half-robot one picked it up and raised it above it's head yelling, "Now you will pay for destroying me and my clan!" And as if two of those things weren't enough, a large blue thing rams full tilt into the half-robot, knocking it down, and giving lavender some time to recover.

"Stay down ugly, and I mean it!" yelled Blue, in an almost text-book 'authoritative tone' that they teach at the academy. The half-robot didn't comply, and gave the big blue thing a roundhouse kick in the stomach, sending it crashing back. A small green one that I didn't notice before took the opportunity to try and yank off the half-robot's chest armor. But with surprising quickness Half-robot threw it into Blue, yelling "More traitors!" Lavender, recovered by now, attacked Half-robot, but was thrown with the other two, though Lavender was able to flip in mid-air and land on its feet. "You will all pay!" continued Half-robot.

"Oh man, I can't believe this is happening!" exclaimed Bluestone. The conspiracy theorist of the NYPD unable to believe what is before his own eyes? It would be funny if this wasn't really happening. Well we will find out in the morning if it was real or not, there's the WVRN newsvan pulling up. Maybe the 'power of the press' will help! It would be good change from what they usually do. At least Maza seems to be trying to get some help, she is speaking into a small radio she has on her coat collar. Meanwhile there has been a lull in the fight, and we can hear the things clearly as they yell to each other.

"Why are you attacking us?" yells Lavender.

"You betrayed the clan, destroyed it!" At least Half-robot has quit firing.

"We were all betrayed!"

"Too true." spoke a voice from above, heard by all of us while seeming to be spoken softly, that type of commanding voice takes lots of practice. Our own police captain still resorts to yelling to be heard above the normal office chatter. I hear the whine of jet engines as the speaker and two others drop from above and landed on a building near the other things. The three newcomers appeared to be some more of those things, God, how many of these things are there!?! And these seemed to be better armed, the speaker itself was dark-blue and entirely flesh, toting what I believe is a high-powered laser rifle. The other two however seemed to be entirely robotic, differing only in their color, one gray, the other red with some sort of chest device on it.

"You told them these lies. I lived for my clan!!" In that same commanding voice at first, but ending in a yell. This lavender one is definitely a leader.

"And they died for you! Smashed to dust by the humans you trusted," retorts the dark-blue one. Oh boy, that doesn't sound good. "We have created our own clans now, Goliath. You have yours and I have mine." OoooK. Lavender has a name....

"And how long will your 'clan' survive when you have lost the Gargoyle way?" At that point we got interrupted by another blur coming down out of the sky, this one crimson red with a streak of white hair. That was all I was able to see before it went right past me, grabbed Elisa, and landed on top of an overturned bus, using Maza as a shield it held its claws to her neck.

"Oh, long enough Goliath, especially with ones like Coldstone here. Hey Maza! How did you survive that poison? That was a specifically made brew with no antidote! Hey Lex! Stop trying to sneak up on Demona or we will see if Elisa can survive having her head torn off." By now all these events were sending me into shock, and I was only noting facts, and that only because of my police training. I was as slow as every other officer there, and only actually raised my gun after the red thing was on top of the bus. By then none of us could fire or we would risk killing our own. Note: Red seems to be as well armed as Dark-blue, he has two Uzi's hanging from his shoulders in a quick-draw harness. Important note: these things know Elisa personally, and she didn't report that some of them were trying to kill her. Urgent note: Dark-blue, Demona, is getting POed.

"Detective! What does it take to kill you! Isn't it enough that you have poisoned my own mate against me, you have to rub it in by stubbornly staying alive!!???!" And even from here, I could practically hear something snap, then everything happens at once. As numbed as I already was, I could only observe facts as they happened, though I seemed to be too slow to do anything.

As Demona lowered her rifle, Goliath leapt up and used his own body as a shield for Elisa. The laser may have gone right through him anyway if half-robot, note: Coldstone, didn't do the same thing almost at the same time. Funny, almost forgot him there. Red saw what dark-blue was doing and quickly tried to jump away from Elisa. The laser hit Coldstone right in his chest armor, Goliath's face fell in horror, Elisa managed to land a mule-kick right into red's sensitive area (trivial note: red is a he), and red-robot made a too late grab for Demona's rifle. We officers finally managed to send a spray of bullets up to Demona, but only hit the red-robot who is now shielding her, and seems to be as bulletproof as Coldstone.

Red quickly rolled behind the bus, out of our line of fire, leaving Maza to roll the other way, and back towards us. The three on the roof-top dropped down to join the ones on the ground, Grey-robot landing next to Red to help him, and firing at us forcing us to take cover behind our cars. Red-robot kept a bead on big-blue and little-green, keeping them from interfering. And as Goliath was helping Coldstone to his feet, Demona confronted them both, and I, being one of the closest to the action, heard what they say to each other.

Demona just glared at Coldstone and simply demanded, "Why!?!!"

Coldstone just looked back, gaping chest wound and all, and answered, "You would have killed our own younger brother, one of the few survivors from the massacre!"

"I would have killed that annoying human."

"By the Dragon! Are you so blind by your need for Vengeance that you would risk destroying others just to see some more human blood!? You would bring me back like this!?!?"

"Appearance means nothing, we are the true Gargoyles! They have been corrupted by the humans. GOLIATH WOULD HAVE WILLINGLY DIED FOR HIS PRECIOUS HUMAN!!!" And her face twisted into something I have seen too much on this job. Her expression was exactly like this woman who was abused by her husband, the same expression she wore right before she put six bullets into him and his mistress. The only difference was that her eyes actually were glowing. Coldstone's own half-expression showed the storm of emotions he was going through, as he looked between Goliath and Demona. "Destroy them Coldstone, destroy them and we will survive!" Demona demanded.

Goliath's and Coldstone's gazes locked, and Goliath simply said, "There has been enough death, there are so few of us left, my brother." And of all things, Goliath kept Coldstone's arm draped over his back while he kept his gaze locked with Coldstone's. While Red and Grey-robot came over to rejoin Demona, Red walking even funnier than the rest of the things, note: Gargoyles.

"What am I protecting if I do, my sister? How is killing Goliath helping the 'true' Gargoyles?"

"Hey, he's going to get a lot more painful death at the hands of the humans, and the longer he is alive, the more he will help them against us. Sad, but that's reality brother." countered Red.

Goliath and Coldstone kept their eyes locked, Goliath still kept Coldstone's arm draped over his shoulders, and whispered something even I could barely hear. "Gargoyles protect." And kept looking Coldstone right in the eye.

"YOU ARE BEING CORRUPTED AS WELL!!!!" Demona suddenly yelled, as she yanked something off her belt and threw it at Goliath. Fortunately Maza came out of nowhere and grabbed the thing in midair. Unfortunately, it wasn't a grenade, but some sort of high-powered electro-shock thingie. Maza's hand suddenly clutched the device in an unbreakable grip. Goliath was quick and was already grabbing the thing as well, but Coldstone was quicker and was able to get it out of Maza's grip, it was then that it let out its real power. It was at first only giving off enough voltage to prevent Maza from letting go, but as soon as Coldstone pried it from her fingers he screamed and I actually saw arcs of electricity dance over his entire body from wing to tail tip. Goliath tried to pry the device from Coldstone's fingers in turn, but got quite a jolt himself before it finally ran out of power, leaving both Goliath and Coldstone to join Elisa semiconscious on the ground.

While everyone there was distracted, I was finally able to draw a good bead on Demona. "Call off your robots and get down on the ground!" Demona quickly turned around, and instead of being sensible, her face just became more distorted by anger.

"I don't think so!" And with those parting words, the red-robot grabbed Demona and lifted both into the air, while the gray one gave Red the the same treatment. The other two Gargoyles, both Big-blue and Little-green, tried to rush Red-robot as soon as his gun was aimed away from them, but they are no match for Red- or Gray-robot's jets. The officers, freed from Grey-robot's cover fire, tried to fill the fleeing Gargoyles with lead, but the robots both proved to be as bulletproof as Coldstone, and they shielded Demona and Red. Big-blue, roaring in frustration, rushed to Coldstone, Goliath, and Maza. Some of the rookies aimed at the two Gargoyles still standing.

"Hold your fire!" I yell in my best 'command' voice. Don't use it often, but when I do... I rushed out towards the two fallen Gargoyles and Maza, and I was checking her pulse when Big-blue asked, "Is she going to be all right?!" And he stepped toward me.

"Hold it th-there monster!" yelled one of the rookies as he and some of his partners pointed shaking guns at the gargoyles. Big blue's eyes actually lit up, and he dropped into a defensive stance.

"Put it down, rookies! If you haven't noticed, they just saved the life of one of our own, and now they need help."

"Bu-but sir!" The head rookie looked at me incorrigibly. Some of the rookies pointed their guns down, but didn't put them away.

I placed myself right in the remaining rookie's line of fire. "These creatures just got seriously injured rescuing one of our own, and that one has just done the same for them, also getting seriously injured. Now they all need medical attention, not to get into another firefight!" The remaining rookies lowered their guns, except for the one who first spoke. Amazement and fear ran over his face. "Go help keep the crowd and reporters back, son." I said to him. "And while you're at it, call an ambulance!" The rookie looked at me for a few more seconds, and finally broke eye contact. "And that same for the rest of you, get going!" The remaining ones reluctantly nodded and went off to do crowd control.

I turned back to the Gargoyles, and saw Big-blue trying to revive Elisa, while Little-green was trying to repair Coldstone's wiring. I started checking Elisa's vitals for myself, when I heard her whisper, "Thanks Morgan, you saved my friends' lives."

"Don't thank me yet Detective, you are going to have to explain all this to the Captain, and I don't think your usual excuses are going to work." Even semiconscious, worry crossed Elisa's face. I looked across her and right into the face of Big-blue.

"She is going to be all right, right?" Even with web-ears, baldness, and a few small brow-ridges, that inhuman face can show so much emotion. Right now it is showing worry and concern.

"I think so, just in shock. What about your friend, Goliath?"

"Ah, just little shell-shocked, he'll be back on his feet in a few minutes." And he turned to tend to him, he called back, "Take care of her!"

------------

Heh, I don't know the full story behind this, but I have been a cop too long not to recognize another to whom protecting means as much as it does to me. I have a feeling things are going to get very interesting from here.....

Well, what do you think? This is my first fanfiction, so if I don't get much e-mail, I probably won't write another. Please tell me what you think of it, and if you didn't think well of it, please keep your criticism constructive. Blessed be!

I can be e-mailed at 

Revised 1-26-99

Better Revised 3-27-99

Formatted for 11-16-04


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